Overview

You may emphasize one of two areas in the Master's degree program: Speech-Language Pathology or Normal Aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing. The degree in Speech-Language Pathology, is a clinical degree that meets the requirements for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence, a license to practice as a speech-language pathologist in the state of Wisconsin, and teacher certification in the state of Wisconsin from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The degree in Normal Aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing is a non-clinical degree. When you begin the clinical or non-clinical degree program, you will be provided with a course sequence for your entire graduate program. It is strongly recommended that you adhere to the provided course sequence, although modifications of the plan can be made in consultation with the Graduate Academic Advisor and the Coordinator(s) of Clinics.

A minimum of 36 credits are required for the degree in Communicative Disorders with an emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology. You may choose a non-thesis or thesis option. The thesis is recommended if you are interested in learning to conduct research or in pursuing the PhD degree.  A minimum of 30 credits and a thesis are required if you choose an emphasis in Normal Aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing.

Typically it takes four academic semesters and a summer to complete the Master's degree program, if you have an undergraduate degree in communicative disorders. If you have an undergraduate degree in another field, the length of the program may be extended by one to two years to complete the prerequisite background requirements.


Application to the Master's degree program requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0=A); however the grade point average of students we have typically accepted into the graduate program is much higher. In rare circumstances, we do consider students whose GPA is below 3.0, but this requires a special review. To seek a special review, the student must submit a letter of appeal stating the reasons for the low GPA and a rationale for making an exception to the minimum grade point average rule, in addition to the other documents required for application. 

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Graduate School Application

Please read the instructions for the online Graduate School Application carefully. Following the instructions will expedite processing your application. You must submit your application to the Graduate School Admissions Office by February 1 (January 7th if you wish to be considered for a fellowship). Because the Graduate School will not accept paper applications, you must apply online. In addition, you must immediately mail the Graduate School a $45.00 USD non-refundable application fee, payable either by personal check or money order, drawn on a U.S. bank, and made out to University of Wisconsin-Madison. Be sure to write your birth date on your check, so that the check can be matched to your online application. The Department of Communicative Disorders cannot make a recommendation for admission until your application fee has been received by the Graduate School.

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Department Application

The Department of Communicative Disorders requires electronic submission of the following as part of the online application process to the Graduate School:

(1) a letter describing your purposes for graduate study in communicative disorders

(2) three letters of recommendation, two of which should come from faculty members who have knowledge of your academic performance. The third letter of recommendation can come from a clinical supervisor, employer, or another individual who has knowledge of your academic potential and likelihood for success in graduate school.

(3) the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). It is your responsibility to make sure that the test scores are sent to UW-Madison; use the institution code 1846 when requesting the test scores from ETS. The code for the department is 0620 for Speech and Language. Test scores must be received by the February 1 deadline (January 7th, to be considered for a fellowship) for your application to be considered.

In addition, you will need to send the following directly to the Department of Communicative Disorders

(1) Two complete sets of official transcripts from each school you attended (course work from one institution, listed as transfer credits on a transcript, does not serve as the official transcript for those credits).  One set of transcripts will remain in the Department of Communicative Disorders; we will send the second set to the Graduate School if you are admitted to the Master's program.

(2) a completed summary student information form.  It is very important that you complete this entire form; including the total or estimated total number of your clinic observation and practicum hours is especially important.

After you have submitted a completed application form online to the Graduate School by February 1 (January 7th, to be considered for a fellowship), the Department of Communicative Disorders will download your application directly from the Graduate School.  Please check the Graduate School Online Application page to see if your application is complete. Some useful lists to help you when completing your application can be found at: (Application Checklist), (Helpful Hints for applying to Graduate School) 

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International Student Application

If your native language is not English, or your undergraduate instruction was not in English, you must do the following:

(1) provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  If you are admitted to the Graduate School and your TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580; TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score is below 237; TOEFL internet score (TOEFL-iBT) is below 92, MELAB score is below 82, or IELTS score is below 7, you must take an English assessment test upon arrival. Depending on your score, you may need to register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in the first semester you are enrolled. 

(2) provide evidence of financial support for the period of study; you can find information regarding finances at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html.

(3) send your international academic records, in the original language accompanied by an official English translation, directly to the Department of Communicative Disorders. These documents must contain the official seal/stamp and official signatures of the issuing institution. You must also send a set of descriptions of the courses list on the transcripts and/or certificates.

Specific questions about any of the described requirements should be directed to:

Office of International Students and Faculty
115 Science Hall
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
USA

In the Department of Communicative Disorders, you can pursue either the Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology, which is a clinical degree, or in Normal Aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing, which is a non-clinical degree. If you are planning to pursue the clinical degree, you must have adequate spoken English skills for clinical practice. The Department of Communicative Disorders requires that you do the following, before you can engage in clinical practice:

(1) demonstrate proficient spoken English by achieving one of the following: (a) a minimum criterion score of 60 on the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK), (b) a minimum scaled score of 26 on the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language-Internet based version (TOEFL-iBT), or a minimum scaled score of 26 on the TOEFEL Academic Speaking Test (TAST).

(2) Pass a speech intelligibility screening administered by the Department of Communicative Disorders

If your spoken English skills do not meet these two criteria, you must participate in a discussion with the Graduate Academic Advisor and a clinical supervisor, to develop a plan for improving your proficiency in spoken English. After completion of your planned course of study for improving your spoken English skills, you will again need to try to meet the described two criteria. If you are not able to meet the criteria, you may choose or be advised to pursue the non-clinical degree in Normal Aspects of Speech, Language, and Hearing.

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Financial Assistance

Financial need (as determined by the Student Financial Aids Office) is one criterion for awarding funds. The other criteria are grade point average, evaluations of clinical competency, and funding agency requirements. Specific questions regarding funding should be directed to the Department of Communicative Disorders Financial Aids Chair or the Student Status Examiner.

Several sources of financial assistance are available. These include:

Assistance through the University of Wisconsin - Madison

(1) Graduate Fellowships

Fellows are selected on the basis of academic excellence.  Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required, as well as transcripts and letters of recommendation.  Fellowships are typically awarded to students who place in the upper 2-4% of all graduate students on this campus. Because of the difficulty inherent in reviewing academic records from countries in which a language other than English is spoken, foreign students (except from English speaking countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc.) are usually not considered for Graduate School Fellowships until after they have successfully completed two semesters of study on a U.S. campus. 

Graduate Fellowships are given to incoming students only. Fellows are required to be full time students. Because fellowships are intended to encourage maximum progress toward a graduate degree, fellows in their first year of graduate study may not hold a job or other remunerative appointment simultaneously with their fellowship.  Current policy permits remission of out-of-state tuition for non-residents, but all fellows must pay in-state tuition. Most students supported by a fellowship for their first year will need to find assistance for subsequent years from other sources.

(2) Vilas Fellowships

Fifty Vilas Fellowships for the entire campus are awarded each year. These fellowships are for an academic year and provide a stipend of $600 plus remission of out-of-state tuition.  Students are eligible for nomination only if they have a bachelor's or master's degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Vilas Fellows are selected from departmental nominations sent to the Fellowships Office. Awards are typically made to students who place in the upper 2-4% of all graduate students on this campus. Vilas Fellows are required to be full time students.

(3) Advanced Opportunity Fellowships

The Advanced Opportunity Fellowship (OAF) is available for minority/disadvantaged graduate students.  Recipients are selected from departmental nominations sent to the Fellowships Office. To be eligible, a nominee must be: (a) a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, (b) admitted or enrolled in a graduate department at any level of graduate study, and (c) be a member of a traditionally under-represented minority or be an educationally disadvantaged person.

Preference is given to nominees who meet the following selection criteria: (a) membership in one of the following under-represented minority groups: African American (Black); North American Indian, or Alaskan native; Mexican-American/Chicano; Puerto Rican; or Southeast Asian (Cambodian/Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese), (b) Wisconsin residency, (c) enrolled in an area of study that represents an under-represented discipline, and (d) educationally disadvantaged (i.e., have not had opportunity for access to primary, secondary, and college education that provides adequate preparation for graduate study and have not had the expectation and encouragement to pursue graduate education as a viable option). There is no specified experience or work requirement. 

AOF awards for master’s students are typically made for one year (12-month period). All recipients are responsible for in-state tuition and are required to be full time students.

(4) Teaching Assistantships

Assistantships for undergraduate instruction may be available in the Foreign Language Departments for individuals who are proficient in speaking another language.  

 

Employment within the Department of Communicative Disorders on Research Grants

(1) Project Assistantships (PA)

These positions are typically awarded to doctoral students, but are sometimes available for students who are pursuing the Master's degree. Procedures to select a Project Assistant (PA) include personal interviews to determine the candidate's background and skills relative to the needs of the project. Criteria may include job-related experiences, areas of professional interest, interpersonal skills, transportation availability and scheduling requisites, as well as current and projected academic plans.  Appointments are generally on an annual basis, with an expectation of 20 hours of work per week.  A PA is expected to be enrolled as a full-time graduate student.  Appointment to a 50% PA position includes tuition remission. A fringe benefits package is also available. The University and Graduate School have specific policies governing PA appointments.  

(2) Research Assistants

Students are hired, typically for 10 hours of work per week, to assist faculty on their research projects.The hourly wage is dependent on the kinds of skills that are required and the student's experience.

Other Employment within the Department of Communicative Disorders

(1) Readers and graders for undergraduate courses, as needed, are recruited by faculty who teach courses that have high enrollments or require intensive and timely student feedback. While availably of these positions is not predictable semester to semester, students who are interested should inform the graduate advisor of their desire to be considered for such a position. Decisions are based on academic and clinical performance.

Scholarships within the Department of Communicative Disorders

The LOON Fellowship

The LOON Fellowship was established by a group of former students who received their Master's degree in the Department of Communicative Disorders. It is intended to recognize contributions by a student in the Master's program to a sense of community and fellowship among the graduate students. The award is a cash prize of $1000.

Nominations for the fellowship are sought from faculty, clinical instructors and graduate students in the department. Nominees must be first-year Master's students in good academic standing, majoring in speech-language pathology, audiology or normal aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing. There are no restrictions as to citizenship, age, gender, undergraduate degree, financial need or grade point average.

 

Additional Funding Opportunities

(1) There are bulletin boards in various locations in the Department of Communicative Disorders that contain information on financial assistance, job opportunities, etc., as they become available. 

(2) Wisconsin Speech-Language-Hearing Association (WSHA) Foundation Scholarships

WSHA scholarships are awarded each year to second year master's students or doctoral students, following a competition among applicants throughout the state of Wisconsin. Student scholarships include:

  • Stanley Ewanowski Scholastic Award
  • Friends of WSHA Foundation Scholarship
  • Judith H. and David J. Ward Scholarship
  • Gladys McKinley Scholarship
  • Nancy McKinley Scholarship
  • Jack Kile Scholarship
  • Risa Mari Otto Scholarship
  • Judy Kulpa Scholarship

In addition there is one research grant

  • Vicki Lord Larson & James R. Larson Research Grant

Information regarding specific criteria as well as how and when to apply for a scholarship or research grant can be found under WSHA Foundation at the WSHA website  www.wisha.org.
 

 

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Summary of Course Requirements

The following is a summary of the required courses for each area of emphasis.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

A minimum of 36 credits is required. The typical course sequence, however, exceeds 36 credits and includes the following. Note that the curriculum is currently being revised; the new curriculum will be posted, after approval by the Divisional Committee.  

Year 1 - Fall semester

CD 503: Neural Mechanisms of Speech, Hearing and Language (3 credits)

CD 910: Introduction to Graduate Study (3 credits)

CD 640: Language and Learning Disorders in Children (3 credits)

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders  (1 credit)

Year 1 - Spring semester

CD 712: Dysphasia in Adults (3 credits)

CD 711/731: Dysarthria/Augmentative Communication Systems for the Severely Handicapped (4 credits)

CD 717: Management and Assessment of Voice Disorders (3 credits)

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders (1 credit)

Year 1 - Summer

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders (1 - 3 credits)

An outside the department Elective Course (optional)

Year 2 - Fall semester

CD 910: Swallowing (3 credits)

CD 719: Fluency/Phonology (3 credits)

CD 692: Student Teaching or CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders - Medical Site (1- 3 credits)

An Elective Course (optional)

Year 2 - Spring Semester

CD 840: Language Problems of School Age Children and Adolescents (3 credits)

CD 819: Capstone - Pediatrics (2 credits)  

CD 900: Capstone - Adults (2 credits)  

CD 692: Student Teaching or CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders - Medical Site (1-3 credits)

An Elective Course (optional)

 

A minimum of 36 credits is required. The typical course sequence, however, exceeds 36 credits and includes the following: 

Year 1 - Fall semester

CD 503: Neural Mechanisms of Speech, Hearing and Language (3 credits)

CD 702: Introduction to Graduate Study (4 credits)

CD 703: Language and Learning Disorders in Children (3 credits)

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders  (1 credit)

Year 1 - Spring semester

CD 704: Acquired Language and Cognitive Communication (3 credits)

CD 705: Dysarthria/Augmentative Communication Systems for the Severely Handicapped (3 credits)

CD 706: Management and Assessment of Voice Disorders (3 credits)

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders (1 credit)

Year 1 - Summer

CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders (1- 3 credits)

An outside the department Elective Course (optional)

Year 2 - Fall semester

CD 707: Seminar Speech Pathology (Swallowing Disorder) (3 credits)

CD 708: Developmental Speech Disorders - Fluency/Phonology (3 credits)

C&I 392: Student Teaching or CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders - Medical Site (1- 3 credits)

An Elective Course (optional)

Year 2 - Spring Semester

CD 709: Language Problems of School aged Children and Adolescents (3 credits)

CD 550: Capstone - Pediatrics (2 credits)  

CD 751: Capstone - Adults (2 credits)  

C&I 392: Student Teaching or CD 790: Practicum in Communicative Disorders - Medical Site (1-3  credits)

An Elective Course (optional)

 

NORMAL ASPECTS OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND HEARING

A minimum of 30 credits and a thesis is required. While the curriculum is individually designed for the specific student, it includes many of the same academic courses as in the Speech-Language Pathology curriculum. Because an emphasis on Normal Aspects of Speech, Language and Hearing does not include clinical practice, C&I 392 and CD 790 are not part of the curriculum. Top Arrow

 

Accreditation

The Master's degree programs in Speech-Language Pathology is accredited by the Educational Standards Board of the Boards of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.  

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Students Planning to Fulfill Teacher Education Requirements

Students who (a) complete the Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology, (b) have a student teaching experience (CD 692), and (c) prepare an electronic portfolio to document their knowledge and skills for inspection by the State of Wisconsin - Department of Public Instruction (DPI), will fulfill teacher certification requirements for the State of Wisconsin, as specified in PI34.  

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Persons Without an Undergraduate Major in Communicative Disorders

You can apply to our graduate program even if you do not have an undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders.  In fact, our experience is that students from related fields perform very well in our graduate program.  The prerequisite courses that you will need to complete before you begin graduate study are listed below.  There are three options for applying:

1) You can complete the prerequisite courses at UW-Madison or at another university before applying to the graduate program. If you do this at UW-Madison, you can take the prerequisite courses as a special/non-degree student. The courses take about one year to complete.

2) You can apply to the graduate program as what we call a “Leveling student”, and complete the courses in your first year of graduate study. This will add about another year to your program.  I want to let you know at the outset that only the most outstanding undergraduates will be accepted without having completed some or all of the prerequisite courses.  Applicants with a strong undergraduate GPA and GRE scores are more likely to be admitted with fewer prerequisites completed.  Applicants with a weaker background are strongly recommended to take the prerequisite coursework prior to applying for admission to graduate school. 

3) You can apply to the graduate program as a Leveling student and, if admitted, defer your admission for one year. During this time, you can take the prerequisite courses as a special/non-degree student. This is less expensive than taking them as a graduate student.  You will be guaranteed a place in the next year’s entering MS class, but you will still need to go through the admission process a second time with the university (resubmit your materials, pay another admissions fee) because of a university policy that you cannot defer admission for more than one semester.  If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me again.

Prerequisite courses for the MS program in speech-language pathology

201 Speech Science (3)
202 Normal Aspects of Hearing (3)
210 Speech and Language Functions and the Brain (3)
240 Language Development (3)
315 Speech Pathology I: Phonetics and Phonological Development (3)
320 Introduction to Audiology (3)
371 Preclinical Observation Methods (3)
425 Auditory Rehabilitation (3)
440 Child Language Disorders (3)

For those students interested in the Master's degree in Communicative Disorders who do not have undergraduate preparation in the area (about 38 credits), the total length of the program will be extended. (It could be a total of two full additional years.) Course deficiencies to fulfill prior to starting the graduate program will be determined by the student and academic advisor. The Department usually suggests that prerequisite courses be taken either as a Special Student or a second undergraduate degree major. The Special Student classification is a non-degree status and, therefore, courses taken as a Special Student may not be used for credit toward the Master's degree. This student classification is less expensive than Graduate status. Because prerequisite courses will not count toward the Master's degree, this may be a financially prudent way to acquire the background courses.

You may apply for admission to the graduate program without the undergraduate major in Communicative Disorders, or wait to apply until you have completed the undergraduate course requirements. If you apply and are accepted to the program prior to completing the prerequisite courses, you must maintain a 3.0 (4.0=A) grade point average.

PREREQUISITES FOR GRADUATE STUDY IN COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS

Students who wish to enter the MS program and who do not have an undergraduate major in Communicative Disorders are required to complete a series of undergraduate courses prior to beginning graduate coursework. The courses are as follows:

201 Speech Science (3)
202 Normal Aspects of Hearing (3)
240 Language Development (3)
315 Speech Pathology I: Phonetics/phonological development and disorders (3)
318 Speech Pathology II: Voice disorders, orofacial anomalies, and fluency disorders (3)
320 Introduction to Audiology (3)
371 Preclinical Observation Methods (3)
425 Auditory Rehabilitation (3)
440 Child Language Disorders (3)

These typically can be completed within two semesters. Equivalent courses from another university or department will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Course descriptions may be found on-line at:
http://www.wisc.edu/grad/catalog/letsci/comdisC.html

If a student chooses to complete prerequisites at the UW-Madison prior to admission for graduate study, he or she may enroll as a University Special Student. Special Students are typically those not currently earning credits for a UW-Madison degree program but are enrolled in UW-Madison credit courses for purposes such as earning prerequisites for graduate study. University Special students register for regularly offered University courses and pay the same per-credit cost as undergraduates. They register on a space-available basis, usually the last working day before classes begin for the fall or spring semester or beginning in April for summer sessions.

Students enrolled as Special Students are considered nondegree candidates and pay fees at a lower rate than do graduate students. For more information, call: 608-262-2115.

The website for info on Special Students is: http://www.dcs.wisc.edu/students/univspec.htm

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Clinical Experiences

The available supervised clinical experiences through the Department of Communicative Disorders - Madison encompass a wide range of activities and diverse practicum sites. A partial list of practicum sites includes: The University of Wisconsin Speech and Hearing Clinic (UWSHC) in the Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics, Waisman Center on Mental Retardation and Human Development, Madison area public schools, Madison area preschools and daycare centers, Central Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled, Meriter General Hospital, Dean Medical Center, Veterans Hospital, and Madison area nursing homes. For additional details, click here. The availability of practicums may change from semester to semester as a result of natural occurrences such as program changes, turnover in staff, and variation in client service needs.

A first-year Master's student is required to have successfully completed 25 documented clinical observation hours before being placed in a clinical practicum (CD 790) at the UWSHC or other clinical site in which supervision is provided by Clinical Staff from the Department of Communicative Disorders. A second-year Master's student must have successfully completed a minimum of 100 hours of supervised clinical practice, to quality for a school (CD 692) or medical site (CD 790) practicum experience.

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Research Experiences

Master's students have opportunities to work closely with faculty members on research projects and to conduct original research if they do a thesis. Clinical research facilities are available at the University of Wisconsin Speech and Hearing Clinic (UWSHC) in the Department of Communicative Disorders, at the Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology in the University Hospital and Clinics and at the Waisman Center on Mental Retardation and Human Development. Among other facilities, we have laboratories for research in physiologic and acoustic aspects of speech production, psychoacoustics, psycholinguisitics, speech perception, communication development, and treatment of communication disorders.
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Student Status Examiner

Carol Brandl - email
Phone: (608) 262-6464
Fax #: (608) 262-6466

Graduate Academic Advisor


You will be assigned an advisor when you start the program.

Financial Aid Chair

Marios Fourakis - email
Phone (608) 262-7491
Fax #: (608) 262-6466